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Tag: #momof3boys

More on the Things I Love… It is so refreshing to walk around each day and capture pictures of those things in my life that make me happy. Sometimes it is the simple things in life that bring us pleasure. Other times, it is a complex feeling of love or friendship so deep that you honestly cannot fathom living without it.

The view of the backyard shed… with the homemade bird houses from the boys and the wisteria. Memories from the past with great friends and music from Woodstock ’99. Transplanted hostas from people you love. My oldest Green boy and his blue eyes. CrossFit and the change it has made in my life. Blooming irises by the front door. The youngest Green boy and his strive to be like his older brother. My husband and best friend, Mithra. Rose buds.

And, in honor of Mother’s Day and the woman who has made such a enormous influence on the mother and woman I am today, my mother Susan! She has always been there for me and has taught me how to be the best person I can be. She comes to the boys’ sports games and school events; she is their second loudest cheerleader right after me. She makes it a priority to show her grandchildren that they are loved unconditionally. She is giving. She is kind. She loves. And, she is humble.

Continue to look around you for the things in your everyday life that make you happy. The search is fun and enlightening. You may be surprised by all the little things that brighten your day.

Simple glass jars catching the sunlight. My kids, especially the Middle Green Boy’s smile. Coffee and all forms of said caffeine. Seahorses and shades of blue.

Hobbes, a fluffy furball that loves to sing the song of his people at 4am. My new front door wreath made of coffee filters. Me! It has taken me years to find a true love for myself. I can honestly say that I am happy with who I am and what my future holds. Family photos on the wall in DIY frames. Seashells collected on each and every beach we visit. Chester, our old man pug.

Take time to embrace those around you and find the “Things You Love”. I did and it is amazing.

Please comment below on the “Things You Love”. Feel free to post links to your own blog as you take time to document “Things I Love”.

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Every now and then I get a wild hair to “Dee-Eye-Why” something… These moments consume my thoughts for weeks and days before I actually gather all the pieces to make my vision come to life. Pinterest (click here to find my profile and boards) is such an incredible resource for ideas and links to DIY blogs.

My latest DIY bug has been a new ottoman. We have two small rectangular brown leather ottomans. They have been “boyed,” meaning one is ripped and the hinges for the storage tops are broken. My boys are great at “boying” furniture. Forts and parkour are their main means of destroying anything nice in my house. I know, I know… I could punish them for putting their feet on the furniture and jumping on it, but this is usually the time when they play without arguing and fighting. So, I let it slide. I also had some intense therapeutic conversations in my own head and came to the conclusions that: 1.) I am a #momof3boys, and 2.) I need to let go of any expectations for a neat, pretty house until they leave. So, I was off on a search for the perfect ottoman.

Here was my list of wants and needs:

1. Size. Large. It needed to be big enough for all five family members to put their feet up. Our sectional is also large and the previous ottomans just seemed too small

2. Caster wheels. The boys like to wrestle and they always push the ottomans out of the way. The former ones never had wheels and were just awkward and a pain to move.

3. Tufted with buttons. They look feminine without being too girly.

4. Light blue with durable fabric.

Here was my inspiration:

I did my research and thought it out very carefully. I placed all my ideas and links onto my Cool Ideas Board in Pinterest. Then, I went on a hunt to find all the materials I would need without spending more than $100 dollars. I used that price point after scoping out the stores in the area. I found several that would have fit my needs and most of my wants for around $295. I also tried to not bug my husband too much with this project. He gets kinda annoyed with my DIY projects, especially if he feels we don’t “need” them. I have tried to explain to him that the word need has different meanings to women. He doesn’t buy it. So, I kept him out of the planning process as much as possible.

Here is my list of materials:

Base for the ottoman, ideally an old coffee table

Foam and batting (lots)

3 yards of material – durable and light blue

Delicate-ish legs and casters

Peg board and 1/2″ plywood

Button making kit

I turned to Craigslist hoping to find the perfect cheap coffee table. I spent two weeks trying to find the “one.” I never found one that would work and for the right price ($20 or less). My sister came to the rescue. They were moving in a few days across the country. She was leaving behind her dining room table. I acquired said table… for free! I also remembered we had leftover carpet padding in our shed. I love repurposing stuff. I visited Lowe’s for the legs, casters, peg board, screws, and plywood. I found the fabric at Joann’s a light blue burlap. It was made even more perfect being on sale for $2.99/yard plus a 20% off coupon.

2. Attach legs with casters to table. I found these metal plates that screw into your frame that allows you to attach the legs more securely to your ottoman. I found them in the same aisle as the casters. I used a drill to make the hole for the caster. Just make sure that you use a drill bit slightly larger than the diameter of the caster’s bolt. I decided to use the “top of the table” as the underside of my ottoman. I wanted to give height to the ottoman without having to build it up with foam. My husband built the support to place in the middle of the table’s underside. This gave it much needed support for a family of 3 boys.

3. Make your fabric covered buttons. You can purchase the kits at any fabric or craft store. I also highly recommend purchasing an upholstery needle. I needed the 8 inch long needle to successfully attach the buttons.

4. Cut your foam or padding to the proper size. Pile it on the peg board and cover the foam with batting. This gives the ottoman a softer, smoother feel and protects the padding. Place your fabric on top of the batting. Since my ottoman is oversized, I did have to sew two pieces of fabric together. This made a seam down the middle of the ottoman, but

5. Attach your buttons. Using the upholstery needle and upholstery thread (very strong, durable thread), sew your buttons on pulling snugly and tightly. Metal washers can help keep the buttons attached. Use the washers to tie the thread onto and secure the buttons. I marked the holes for the buttons on the peg board with painter’s tape.

6. Then, using wood screws attached the plywood to your ottoman’s platform. The pegboard with the fabric covered foam gets attached next. Make sure your wood screws are long enough to penetrate the plywood and the platform.

The next part takes patience, a strong grip, and no fears about staple guns.

7. Turn your almost finished ottoman upside down… meaning the fabric is on your floor and the legs and bottom of the ottoman are face up. Take a moment to pull the fabric and make it taut. This is very important, so that your fabric is pulled tight when you staple it to the wood frame. Using your staple gun, attach the fabric. Start with the middle of each side and work out towards the corners. Make sure that you check the tautness of the fabric with each staple. I am a firm believer in the more staples the better.

8. Attach the fabric at each corner last. Take the time to pleat and fold the fabric so it lays nicely and looks finished. This is always the most frustrating part. But, the payoff is totally worth the patience.

9. Next cut a piece of the same fabric or a piece of white fabric to cover the bottom of the ottoman. This will cover the staples and give your piece a polished look. This fabric is easily attached with a hot glue gun. Just create a hem by folding under the edge of the fabric. I also took the extra time to place tack nails into this edge. I had leftover tack nails from another project. Another score!

All in all this project took about 5-6 hours to complete. And, yes, I had to plead with the husband to help. He did because he has to keep the peace.

Here is how much we are enjoying the new ottoman:

Yes, that is a 12 year old and 6 year old laying on the ottoman watching the Olympics.

It has quickly become my coffee table when the boys aren’t sprawled upon it.

It is the perfect size for 4 sets of feet and a cat.

Being the wife and children of a Chiropractor, this ottoman also serves as our home adjusting table. It really has become the perfect addition to our family.

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Traditions are important. I love them. They are tied into my fondest memories from childhood. I try my hardest to build traditions with my boys – unique to our family- and instill in them traditions from my past.

Traditions give symbolic meaning and special significance to our holidays… they keep us connected to our origins and our pasts. Fall heralds the holidays… These holidays are filled with tradition in our family. This past Thanksgiving we made a paper “Thankful” banner. Each person in the family wrote on the banner exclaiming what it is they are thankful for in life. We hope to add our “thanks” each year and build upon these blessings. What a wonderful reminder of what we have and those around us to share these “thanks”.

Every Christmas season my family <meaning the girls and the kids> gather and bake cookies. Lots and lots of cookies! My favorite sugar cookie recipe is here at Martha Stewart. The kids decorate the cookies and gorge themselves on sugar. Then we package the cookies and mail them to family far away. We consider it a box of homemade love. It seems stressful and chaotic in the moment. That is mainly because there are 3 cooks in one kitchen. But, as my sister’s family prepares to move cross country to Arizona, this tradition will have a more important impact on the family. Next Christmas we will be sending each other these boxes of love. This tradition will mean more to my kids and me.

Come Christmas morning we have fun opening presents that repeat themselves each year. There is always a wrapped gift with a humorous T-shirt for each person in the family. The funnest part is picking the shirt for the person. The kids also know that there will always be a pair of socks from the cats and pajama bottoms from the dogs under the tree.

This year we are adding the Pickle Ornament to our fun traditions. Here is what contributors say on Wikipedia. I bought it today at Target for $4. A Google search finds many buying options if you can’t find one locally. I chose lots of sparkles. Cause, who doesn’t like a sparkly green pickle ornament? I have already prepped the kids, too. Here is how it will go at my house… We will hang the ornament in the tree until Christmas Eve. Then, the kids will take it down and place it by the cookie and carrot plate left out for Santa. They also plan to leave a note asking Santa to hide it well. Santa will then rehang the ornament but in a hidden location in the tree. The first kid to “eye spy” the pickle will be able to open a special family gift from Santa and that kid will get “good fortune” for the new year. The middle Green boy exclaimed, “I will find it first, then I will go out and buy the lotto-ry and win millions!” I like his go get’em attitude – most of the time. And, great minds think alike. I was actually considering Lottery tickets as the special gift. One for each family member.

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Mornings are not the best time of day in my house. Getting three boys up and out of bed by 6:20 a.m. is no easy feat. And, it’s not just them. I can be grumpy and am known to hit snooze too many times.

See. This is what I have to deal with Monday through Friday. Cuteness. But, waking up the youngest Green boy is like poking a bear during hibernation. He should come with a warning sign.

But, mostly it is them… excuse my #mom0f3boys rant <deep breath in> They eat a ton of food. I mean lots. I have friends with girls and my grocery budget is about triple theirs. I am also certain that they have hollow legs that must be filled with food before it even begins to affect their stomachs. Don’t even get me started on 11 year old boys. Ravenous pit monsters when it comes to eating. <and, exhale>

To make the most of the rushed mornings, I have taken my favorite breakfast food — EGGS— and made them into easy to grab, three-bite, filling, protein-packed sanity. Hence, my hybrid Egg Muffin Cups recipe.

Spinach and ham egg muffins with 1/2 an avocado. A great breakfast.

This recipe is a great one because it can be altered easily depending upon leftovers and picky eaters. Treat them like mini-omelettes. Make them vegetarian. Make them a meat-lover’s dream. Then store them in the fridge for a week and grab one on rushed mornings, on the way to the box, as a midday snack, or to fill up the bellies legs of hungry boys.

Remember that protein and vegetables are what kids and adults need in the morning to jump start their brains, metabolism, and body systems. These Egg Muffin Cups are the perfect solution.

Use the recipe below, but be creative when it comes to the ingredients… Our favorite additions are kale, onions, bacon/sausage, and gouda cheese.

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I just returned from my very first vacation <by myself to see my brother> in over 15 years! Crazy talk, right? My wonderful hubby and some amazing friends made this possible. But, now it’s back to reality. And, not just in one way… The one I am having the hardest time adjusting to is the weather. I left Virginia and it was Fall (October 31st) and came back to Winter. Brrr!

Virginia Cold. Tucson Warm.

I had such a great time bonding with my new niece Camillia Rose. New baby snuggles are the best!

Camillia and I snuggling.

My brother Jim is an amazingly talented tattoo artist in Tucson. He owns Istari Studios, the best place to get beautiful tattoos! So, yes, I got two new pieces done on my forearms. Anyone who has played around on the blog may notice my fascination with starfish. Hence, the new starfish tattoos on my left and right forearms.

My sister-in-law Rachael is also a talented Aesthetician at Ooh La La Lashes in Tucson. She used her red LED therapy lights to heal my tattoos quicker and with less pain. Gotta love family!

We also tooled around Tucson and I got to be a tourist for 9 days! We took the time to shop at La Encantata (an outdoor upscale mall), checked out Buffalo Exchange (awesome consignment style store), dressed up for the All Souls Procession in downtown Tucson, ate out at some amazing local restaurants, hiked in Sabino Canyon, and drove up Mt. Lemmon to be awestruck by an Arizonian sunset.

Rachael and I on the tram in Sabino Canyon. A must see in Tucson.

My brother, Jim and I at one of the vistas on Mt. Lemmon at sunset.

All in all this trip was a wonderful reset. It was a time to reconnect with my brother and spend invaluable time with my new niece and beautiful sister-in-law.

I secretly think that this trip also made my role of mom, taxi driver, chef, and wife more precious to my 3 boys and husband.

Now back to reality… #momof3boys.

I will dream about those relaxed days in Arizona for months to come. Maybe one day we can all go visit.

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This writing a new blog post every day for 31 days is tough! I knew it would be but I did have a hard time visualizing the impact on my family. And, since I spout sage advice on “family time”, I listened when my oldest stated bluntly, “Mom, you are on the computer again. It’s all you do lately.” That was an “Wow, Okay!” moment for me. Hence, the long break in blog posts.

Here is what I was up to during those days of no posts:

1. Football practice and a really awesome football game with the oldest Green boy. The GN Buckeyes are heading into the last game of the season with a 7-1 record. This upcoming Saturday we play the #1 seeded team. This means practice very night except Halloween.

2. Running errands in my new favorite outfit: lululemon athletica Wunder Under Pants and Contempo Jacket with an awesome black skull scarf from Target. I could seriously wear this everyday… it might become a problem.

3. Hanging with my family. We even WOD together on the weekends and odd weekdays. Just this past week the middle Green boy set a new bench press PR. He only weighs 74lbs but benched 35#. The oldest Green boy has been programming his own WODs to increase his leg strength and explosiveness.

4. Baking and cooking for friends and family. I have this thing… I bake cakes and desserts for my close friends and family members on their birthdays. On Monday, I baked a GF version of a pumpkin cheesecake with gingersnap-almond crust. Find the recipe here at Tried and Tasty. I substituted almonds and GF Gingersnaps from Trader Joe’s in the crust. I also made her some grassfed beef chili and GF green chiles cornbread.

5. Watching football. It’s a family hang out time. We also use it as our cheat meal day.

6. Visiting with my mom and lots of FaceTime with my brother and new niece.

7. Sewing a quilt for my new niece.

8. Oh, I pulled my hamstring muscle. I decided to do the splits (which I used to do in yoga frequently). Yes, I still managed the splits but hurt myself proving that 38 year olds can still do them.

9. And, the best sister in the world surprised me with an 90 minute massage this week. Gotta love sister’s with a CMT license and an opening in their schedule.

I learned this week that it is okay to take a break from your blog… And, that writing a post everyday takes time.

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Anyone else notice that their brains don’t retain information like they use to in school? Or, is it just me as an adult with 3 kids, a husband and a few domesticated pets?

I was the champion study partner in school and even in college. It helps that I have selective Type A personality habits. Really helps out with note taking and organization of said notes. At least back then it did. Not sure if it helps now. Pretty sure I have adult ADD… read a few pages then get distracted by the dirty sock sticking out between the couch cushions. Then go back and read the same few pages over again not realizing it until I get to the end. Ugh!

But, today is a study day. Mandatory study day. The boys are already done with their homework and get outside time. Not me. I get to read and take notes until I get this information down. Part of my nervousness is that I get to demonstrate this new information tomorrow. Little do the Green boys know that they will be my practice goons tonight. Mwahahaha! I figure if I can do a complete physical examination on three boys then I am good to go on anyone.

I also found that I need a bunch more to get me through studying… lots of coffee and healthy trail mix. And piles. Lots of piles. These piles of knowledge will later infuriate my husband. He is a no pile kinda guy.

My desk… It’s a mess.

I know several moms that are back in school… How do you find time to study? And, how have you adapted to studying as a parent and wife?

For me, it is made simpler with school in session and iced coffee. Life of a student midwife:)

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This summer our family found ourselves with a free weekend… Yeah, a weekend with no sports, no summer birthday parties, no family gatherings, no Holiday BBQ’s. Weird, huh?

So, what does a family do with a whole day free?

We check something off our fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants bucket list <you know the list you make up as you go>. We can’t be the only family to have one of these. It’s also your go to rainy day gotta get out of the house list.

!!!!!ROCK CLIMBING!!!!!, yell all three Green boys and the hubby.

Oh man, as a mom afraid of heights this is not a good rainy day bucket list activity.

So, what does a mom afraid of heights do? She sucks it up and joins in the excitement of the Green boys. In order to bolster up my scaredy cat nerves, I decided to wear my new lululemon athletica shorts and tank top. That’ll totally make me feel brave. Yeah <with enthusiasm>!

We headed over to the local rock climbing gym, Virginia Beach Rock Gym. We spent 30 minutes learning to auto belay. This rock climbing technique is a mechanical device that rock climbers use to control the climbers fall or descent from the climb. Our instructor picked me to go first and “demonstrate” to the kids how to belay. Yeah, I fell on my buttocks. Pretty sure the oldest Green boy took video and posted it to Instagram. After this short lesson, it was on to rock climbing. I have to admit it was fun. I still got scared to climb up to the top of the courses. But each time I ascended, I did climb a little higher. It is also amazing to see how little fear kids have in life. They see the fun in the adventure, not the failure. We can learn something from kids. Have fun, not fear!

Facing fears is tough. It’s uncomfortable. And, it can be slightly embarrassing in front of your boys. It is also a great lesson for your children. Our kids need to witness us facing fears and how we react or overcome those fears.

If you never face your own fears, how do you support your children and facing their fears? Bucket lists are good for facing fears. Encourage your kids to write down things they would love to do in their lives. And then do them with your kids!

But, I am here to tell you if any one of those boys writes down swimming with sharks… They are tough out of luck! I don’t do sharks and that is okay, too.

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Who knew that Chevron would be the decorating trend in 2013? I could totally be wrong about the year of this trend, but that’s when it pinged my radar. Clever to change zigzag to Chevron, though. Whoever did that was genius. Makes it more appealing like Target to “Tar-zhay”. Totally changes the feel from old school zigzags to upscale, trendy zigzags. I couldn’t imagine convincing my husband to let me paint a floor in zigzags. Instead, I confused him with the fancy Chevron word and it was green-lighted with a slightly perplexed look. He gives me those often. I think he does it to make me double think my actions. It doesn’t really work. To me paint and DIY decorating can easily be changed.

Just to prove my point about how trendy Chevron is Google provided me with this cool graph displaying its rise and fall in popularity.

The late 1800’s and early 1900’s were a bleak time for Chevron. Maybe zigzag was the trend?

I decided to use this pattern for our poor neglected front porch. Yep, I jumped right on the Chevron Stripe train. And, front porch is a generous term for what we actually have; it is more a catchall for anything sports related and #momof3boys related. Lots of things with wheels and all types of balls. I, of course, would like it to be a relaxing Southern wrap around kinda porch. It’s not very relaxing and too small for my dream, but it did need to make a better first impression.

I asked Google, again, for the best chevron template and found a free printable from The Creativity Exchange. It was easy to download, super quick to print, and simple to assemble. I did modify mine, so it would keep the sharp edges and points of the pattern. Once I had it cut out and taped together, I took packing tape and covered the entire template. Basically, I turned the template into a cheap DIY laminated version. Worked great for me!

Next, I began trying to figure out what color to paint the zigzag stripes. The month before I had finally repainted the front door from barn red to a light sea green, re-frosted the glass, and added some more beachy decor to the porch. We also invested in some awesome wire storage bins for the boy gear. This is where I searched Pinterest. I looked up painted chevron floors and got a load of results. I choose a turquoise marine color—see former post about Turquoise here. By the way, what did we do before Pinterest? Before the color could even be added to the floor, I had to scrub the old concrete floor and repaint it bright white. I used all exterior gloss paint for the project. I did not feel the need to use a concrete floor paint since our porch is fully covered and does not get wet or icy by the elements. If your porch is not covered or offers little protection, I would highly recommend paint that would provide a non-slip surface and weather well.

You can see a glimpse of the old porch floor. Ugh.

So, two coats of bright white paint later I began to pencil on the chevron pattern. After much deliberation, I chose to have my pattern run horizontally. It made the porch seem bigger and looked more like an area rug. I tried taping off the pattern, but the tape pulled up some of the white paint. I made the decision to just trust my steady hand and tediously hand painted each stripe. I did a pretty good job and am pleased with the look of the porch now.

Stripes in progress.

I was super pleased with the color. Bright and beachy! The entire project took about 1 1/2 weeks. It was late July and early August, so I let each coat of paint dry for one whole day. Humidity can wreck your painted projects. I also put a clear coat of polyurethane to protect the newly painted Chevron. My family was not too happy that I continued to make them use the back door for several days to be certain that all the paint was dry. Oh well, it was good exercise for them.